AT Beef Australia 1997 the Charolais breed claimed all three titles in the interbreed competition. Queensland Country Life found this report originally titled, Charolais scoops interbreed judging, in the archives.
A RESOUNDING series of interbreed championship wins at Beef 97 has again confirmed the depth of quality breeding in Charolais cattle in this country.
A relentless wave of Charolais entries scooped the pool in the Queensland Country Life interbreed competition held as the climax of two days of stud beef judging at Beef 97, claiming all three titles for bulls, females and exhibitors groups.
Together with the grand championship in the led steer competition two days earlier the breed exactly duplicated the outcome from Beef 94. Such a feat is unlikely to ever be repeated at this level of competition again.
Interbreed judging of 37 stud beef breeds representing British, European, bos Indicus, Sanga and derived breeds by all 18 stud beef judges created a major highlight before a large Beef 97 crowd last Wednesday night.
The net was cast far and wide in the selections, with major place-getters representing regions as far afield as South Australia and southern NSW.
In the interbreed bull division, an under 24 months contestant already weighing 1096kg and exhibiting a colossal growth rate of 1.54kg per day, was crowned champion.
He was the red factor Charolais bull, Gunnadoo Que, exhibited by Noller Brothers, Gunnadoo Stud, Oakey. Que is by Temana Muscle Man, a French-type Australian-bred sire. His red factor stems from his dam side, through Gunnadoo A54C, considered one of the best matrons in the Gunnadoo cow herd.
At 16 years of age, her last bull calf was sold for $11,000, and she has averaged close to $5000 for bull progeny during her career.
Que (being re-named Red Barron for marketing purposes) possesses outstanding Breedplan "EBVs (in the top 1pc of the breed - + 2.36 milk, + 29.95 200 day growth, + 55.63 400 day, + 63.56 600 day) and this was one of the factors which led to a 50pc share in the bull being sold soon after judging for $20,000 to the Bondfield family's Palgrove Stud.
Standing second in the interbreed bull division was the animal crowned interbreed champion in Sydney just three weeks ago, the 1092kg Shorthorn representative, Marellan Vagabond (P). A son of home-bred sire, Marellan Super Supreme, he was representing southern NSW stud breeders, N. and S. Job, Marellan, Cumnock.
Third was the Romagnola representative, Aldaree Power Plus, shown jointly by Millmerran breeders, David Dance and family, Double D, and Alby Wellstead, Aldaree studs.
Tipping the scales at 1164kg, one of the heaviest bulls on the grounds, Power Plus is by import sire, An de Ra, out of Ottley Marrianne 7.
Fourth was the Limousin representative, followed by Mandalong Specials, fifth.
In the interbreed female competition, the title went to perennial championship exhibitors, David and Prue Bondfield, with their 30-month-old senior and grand cow, Palgrove Panache 55, supporting an impressive bull calf at foot by Canadian sire, Golden Eagle. She was supreme champion at Armidale feature show earlier this year, and lived up to her early potential when she was grand champion at the National Charolais heifer show in Dubbo last year.
Panache is a daughter of Palgrove Klout, himself a Brisbane and Sydney reserve champion, and a member of the winning interbreed breeders group at Beef 94.
Second in the interbreed cow competition was the Brahman representative from Maureen Olive and family’s Apis Creek Brahman Stud, Marlborough, Apis Creek Dixie is a polly cow by imported American Grey Brahman JDH Sir Gran Olive Manso, shown successfully as a junior last year. She was shown with a handy calf at foot by recent Hudgins import, JDH Leno Manso 249/5.
Third was the Shorthorn exhibit, the imported USA-bred senior cow, Royalla Margies Pride (P) by AFK Powerplay, shown by K.S. Trengoue and sons, Spalding, South Australia.
Fourth was the Murray Grey exhibit, followed by Mandalong Specials.
In the interbreed exhibitors group competition, Charolais clinched their most decisive victory of the night, scoring 138 points out of a possible 160 with a powerful team led by the previously mentioned interbreed champion cow, plus another fine Palgrove female entry, Palgrove Estella 34, a daughter of SVC Applause. The third member was Palgrove placed second in his under 24 months class to the eventual grand champion, and later sold privately to Rob and Donna Atkinson, Middlemount.
He was shown once earlier this year for a supreme championship at Warwick.
Second in the interbreed exhibitors group was a strong Apis Creek Brahman team led by the previously mentioned senior and grand champion cow, Apis Creek Dixie, and the junior champion female, Apis Creek Chrissy.
Placed third was a Red Angus team, followed by Droughtmasters and Limousins.
